Man takes flight to avoid being served a warrant

A New Bern police officer holds back a motorist near the Copperfield Apartments Tuesday afternoon. The police were looking for a fugitive who had fled the apartments while police were attempting to serve him a pair of warrants.

Bill Hand/Sun Journal

By Cathryn Lindsay, Sun Journal Staff

Published: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 03:56 PM.

New Bern police officers had an unusual occurrence while conducting one of their more routine duties Tuesday at 1 p.m., when James Robert Lewis, 23, of Pamlico County, jumped off a second-story balcony to avoid having a warrant served to him.

Officers entered the Copperfield Apartments on Tomlinson Boulevard in New Bern, and Lewis immediately jumped off the balcony, according to Sgt. Todd Conway of the New Bern Police Department. Uninjured, Lewis ran from the scene. Police searched the area, and called out for assistance from the police dog unit.

Shortly after, a citizen called to report seeing Lewis getting into a vehicle; he was arrested without incident at a traffic stop, according to Conway.

The officers were trying to serve Lewis with a failure to appear warrant for a DWI charge. Lewis also has three outstanding warrants in Pamlico County for breaking and entering, larceny of a firearm and larceny after the fact, according to Conway.

Following Tuesday’s incident, Lewis was charged with resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer. Lewis’s first court appearance was Wednesday, and he is currently being held at the Craven County Jail under $16,500 bond.

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published
without permission. Links are encouraged.

New Bern police officers had an unusual occurrence while conducting one of their more routine duties Tuesday at 1 p.m., when James Robert Lewis, 23, of Pamlico County, jumped off a second-story balcony to avoid having a warrant served to him.

Officers entered the Copperfield Apartments on Tomlinson Boulevard in New Bern, and Lewis immediately jumped off the balcony, according to Sgt. Todd Conway of the New Bern Police Department. Uninjured, Lewis ran from the scene. Police searched the area, and called out for assistance from the police dog unit.

Shortly after, a citizen called to report seeing Lewis getting into a vehicle; he was arrested without incident at a traffic stop, according to Conway.

The officers were trying to serve Lewis with a failure to appear warrant for a DWI charge. Lewis also has three outstanding warrants in Pamlico County for breaking and entering, larceny of a firearm and larceny after the fact, according to Conway.

Following Tuesday’s incident, Lewis was charged with resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer. Lewis’s first court appearance was Wednesday, and he is currently being held at the Craven County Jail under $16,500 bond.